KEENE, N.H.  1/13/04 - Bri Barnes (Merrimack, N.H.) scored a season-high 20 points and Andrea Arsenault (Dover, N.H.) finished with 18 points and eight rebounds to lead the Keene State College women's basketball team to a 86-61 Little East Conference victory over Western Connecticut State University in Keene on Tuesday night.

With the win, Keene State (6-5, 2-1 LEC) snapped its two game losing streak while Western Conn. falls to 5-8 and 1-3 in the conference.

Trailing 21-20 at the at the 8:30 mark of the first half, Keene State outscored WCSU 22-7 the remainder of the period to take a 14 point lead (42-28) into the locker room.   The Owls extended their lead in the second half on the way to posting their second conference win of the season.

Cathy Mechare (Falls Village. Conn.) added 13 points for KSC, which forced the Colonials into 29 turnovers.  KSC hit 33-of -54 shots from the field (.611 pct) and set a school record by hitting 8-of 10 shots (.800 pct.) behind the arc.

Christin Morgatto (Seymour, Conn.) led WCSU with 13 points and a game-high 14 rebounds.  Allyson Padden (East Haven, Conn.) and Mallory Stevens (Seymour, Conn.) each finished with 12 points. 

Keene State has won the past five games between the two teams.

The Owls host Middlebury College in a non-conference game on Thursday (7 p.m.).